Overview

• CPI general secretary D. Raja questioned the 'Naxal Mukt Bharat' push and urged the government to accept a proposal for talks with Naxal groups.
• BJP leaders including Amit Malviya and Pradeep Bhandari accused Raja and allied parties of siding with violent extremists, with Malviya calling him a traitor.
• Malviya reiterated the government's hard line by saying Maoists must surrender or face the law and called the March 2026 Naxal-free target cast in stone.
• Officials promote Operation Black Forest as the main campaign and highlight reports that the count of most-affected districts has fallen to six.
• Union Home Minister Amit Shah emphasized countering the movement's ideology in addition to security operations, while some left leaders backed dialogue citing civilian casualties.